The Cracon du Nez (also known as Gross Condunez) occasionally also misspelled as the Crocon du Nez, is a sharp sided ridge that divides the Teton River and the Missouri River in Choteau County Montana (47.874719° -110.598212°), at a point where the two rivers are a mere third of a mile (about 650 yards) apart, due to erosion by the Missouri River.
Name
editThe name "Cracon du Nez" also called the "Gross Condunez" is derived from the French and is translates to the "bridge of the nose".</ref>[1] The name is attributed to French boatmen who commonly comprised keel boat crews</ref>[1] traveling on the upper Missouri River in the very early days of the fur trade (the first decades of the 1800's).
Geography and Geology of the Cracon du Nez
editThe Cracon du Nez is located between the Missouri and Teton Rivers at a site that is 9 river miles below Fort Benton, Montana on the Missouri River.[1][1]
The remarkable feature of this ridge is that the Teton and the Missouri Rivers are both flowing eastward in parallel valleys, and at this point the Missouri bends toward the Teton valley until the two rivers are only about 650 yards (a third of a mile) apart (measured in a straight line).[2] At this point, the Missouri River water is at an elevation of about 2600 feet, but the waters of the Teton River are higher, at an elevation of 2640 feet. The top of the ridge is about 2750 feet.[3]
The sharp sided ridge keeps the two rivers apart. However, in this area the Missouri River makes a sharp turn to the north, toward the valley of the Teton River, causing the current to be forcefully directed to the north bank, resulting in aggressive undercutting and eroding of the ridge separating the two rivers.</ref>[1] As a consequence, the entire hillside below the main ridge is undergoing slumping and sliding into the Missouri River.</ref>[1]
Unless the Missouri River changes course, it will wear away the ridge over many years, and at that time the Teton River, being at a higher elevation, will be diverted into the Missouri River in a process called "stream capture", or "stream piracy" by geologists.</ref>[1]
From this location, the Missouri River turns back and continues in a serpentine fashion to the east until river mile 22, at which time the Marias joins the Missouri.</ref>[1] The Teton River also flows eastward in its valley in a meandering fashion for about 8 more river miles (about 6 miles in a straight line) until it empties into the Marias River, which then flows into the Missouri River in an 1 additional river mile.
History Facts, The Death of Little Dog on the Cracon du Nez
editIn his book "Floating on the Missouri" James Willard Schultz reports that the ridge was a site of an event critical in Piegan history. He states that along the crest of the Cracon du Nez ridge ran an old Indian trail. Here in 1865 the Piegan Chief, "Little Dog", met his death murdered by his own people. Although the Piegans were bitter enemies of the whites, and while they traded at the fur forts along the Missouri River, they ranged as far south of the as the California Overland trail in search of scalps and Plunder. Of the whole tribe only Little Dog was the white man's friend and he tried to maintain peach with them, even killing one or two of the most bloodthirsty. He was a favor of the factor of the American Fur Company who gave him presents, but his warriors feared him as he ruled them with an iron hand, and they were healous of the favors and gifts showered on him. One day four or five of the warriors held a secret counsel and determine that if the tribe were to maintain their record of scalps and plunder they must kill the chief. Their camp was to the east of the ridge at the mouth of the Marias, but they knew the chief was visiting the factor at his fort up river, and he would have to return by the trail between the Teton and Missouri, along the ridge of the Cracon du Nez. There they lay in wait for him. "At dusk he came riding leisurely along, humming his favorite war song. As one man they leveled their rifles and fired at thim, and he fell from his horse without a cry or groan, stone dead. Strange to related, every one of his murderers died within a year; some in battle, some by disease, and one by a fall running buffalo." Relieved from the restraint of his unbending will, the Piegan warriors began a systematic warfare against lone trappers and hunters, the "woodhawks" along the river, travelers on the trails, murdering whites by the score. This led to a January morning in '70 when Col. E.M. Baker and two companies of infantry massacred a village of Piegans on the Marias River.</ref>[1][4]
James Willard's Schultz tale of "Little Dog" may be taken as having some basis for truth as he made the comments while floating down the Missouri River in a boat, accompanied by his blackfoot wife, who was the niece of "Little Dog".
Abandoned Railroad Grade Under the Ridge
editThe tunnel of an abandoned railroad cuts under the ridge. This is the abandoned grade of the the former Great Northern Railroad (now absorbed into the Burlington Norther Santa Fe Railroad), as it ran from Havre to Fort Benton, Helena and on to Butte, Montana.
Visiting the site today
editU.S. Highway 87 between Fort Benton, Montana and Havre, Montana passes down the Teton Valley running between the ridge and the Teton River. From this highway an excellent view of the sharp ridge from the northern (Teton Valley side) can be had.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Montana's Wild and Scenic Upper Missouri River. pp. 48, 49. Cite error: The named reference "Wild and Scenic" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Measurements from Google Earth
- ^ Measurements from Google Earth
- ^ Schultz,, James Willard (1979). Floating on the Missouri. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
